


Further Afflicted

by Twintaileddragon



Series: Here Down in Hell [4]
Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: Attempted Murder, Comfort, Drama & Romance, Dreams and Nightmares, Established Relationship, F/M, Plague, Raising a baby, Revenge, Serial Killers, Smut, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:14:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 19,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28213008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twintaileddragon/pseuds/Twintaileddragon
Summary: :: Direct Sequel to The Dead Air Doll::There is no peace in hell, not even for a second. The challenges of raising a daughter in hell are coupled with a vengeful killer's twisted plans. The Dead Air Doll, the right hand and wife of the Radio Demon, must face the man that killed her as he comes back to finish what he started. Unfortunately, Alastor's own past makes it hard to understand things from his Wife's point of view.
Relationships: Alastor (Hazbin Hotel)/Reader
Series: Here Down in Hell [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2011282
Comments: 39
Kudos: 129





	1. Night terrors

The sun was disappearing behind the cotton candy sky, clouds protecting your eyes as you watched the day shifting to dusk. The light breeze played with your hair and skirt. The scent of summer was on the wind and there was something oddly nostalgic about the moment as if you would remember it forever. The grass invaded your sandals, tall and unruly around your feet as you continued your stroll through the park. Your company chuckled at you, tucking her auburn hair behind her ear.

"So you're really not going to the party, Y/n?"

"I was thinking about it...but I'm gonna walk for a little while longer and then head home."

"You need to live life to the fullest, you know?" She scolded playfully. It was as if she already knew that would be your answer. "but hey, whatever you do tonight have fun. I'm going to head over there. Text me tonight, I'll tell you how I should have never gone." You couldn't help but smile, waving bye and you and your friend split from one another. You stood still in the grass for a moment, watching her walk off with an odd sadness enveloping you. It couldn't be placed. It seemed so random.

You looked to the sky once more. There were more clouds than you remembered and the nighttime took over. The moon was oddly large, the sky around it a thick crimson. Something was wrong. You took in a deep breath, looking around the park one more time. There was no one in sight. The grass crunched beneath your feet as you shifted foot to foot. An uneasy feeling washed over you, making you cold.

"Pardon me, Miss," You gasped, but didn't turn to see who was behind you. The voice towered over you. Whoever it was, they were very tall. They loomed, their shadow making the night so much darker. Now you noted the lack of streetlights in the park. The absence of all light anywhere. "I need your help."

* * *

A little shriek woke the Radio Demon, the overlord shooting up in bed and looking over at you. You clutched your nightgown, your heart pounding against your fist. The red and black demon sighed, putting his hand on your shoulder. You were cold to the touch. His sleepy eyes glowed in the darkness of your bedroom. It helped you see his smile. That smile calmed you as you looked him in the eyes. He nodded and a second later you threw yourself into the demon's arms.

"Breathe, my dear..." He whispered, pulling you closer to his chest. "Are you staying awake or are you going to try and get more sleep?"

"I can't sleep right now, Alastor-"

"Understood." He pulled you into his lap, carrying you as he got out of bed. You nuzzled against him as he carried you out of the room. His shadows held the door open for him and turned on the lights as you progressed through your house. Down the stairs and into the living room, Alastor sat you down on the couch with a sweet kiss on the cheek. The little smile he got was a good reward, but just barely enough for you. "Smile, Ma moitié."

"I'm trying..." You mumbled. He started to stretch out his back and crack his neck side to side as he entered the kitchen. You knew exactly what he was about to say. "No, I'm not hungry-"

"That is exactly why I married you." The Radio demon sighed, putting a hand to his heart. You managed to chuckle.

"You married me because I'm not hungry?"

"I change my mind. I married a smart ass and I'm an idiot for it." He chuckled it off well enough, rolling up his sleeves as he approached your fridge. "Do you want anything to drink? Maybe a little alcohol could calm your nerves?" You nodded. You weren't even in the same room but he knew that's exactly what you did. As he collected snacks and drinks, you stared at the rustic decor of your home. You didn't think anything in particular, flashes of your nightmare still shaking you to your core.

Alastor came into the living room with a small plate of meats and two glasses of dark liquor. You weren't even going to ask who that meat used to be, probably some asshole who deserved it. He sat by you on the couch, dangling a piece into his mouth. It was entertaining to watch him enjoy his food. The bliss on his face never failed to get a chuckle out of you. You finally took your drink, practically pouring it down your throat.

"These nightmares are becoming more frequent." Alastor started, licking a bit of juice off his lips. He sounded oddly serious and the turn of the conversation was upsetting you. "Did something happen? It seems odd that you'd be having them now."

"I can't think of anything. They just... started again out of nowhere." He looked at you with a bit of incredulity but ultimately had nothing else to say. He followed his food with a swift drink, enjoying the burn in his throat.

"I would never let anything happen to you, Ma moitié. You are absolutely safe with me." He assured, flashing you his charming smile. It never failed to make your heart beat out of your chest. The dapper demon dove in for a quick kiss, the taste of his bourbon passing to your lips. "How about I take BiBi with me to the hotel today? You can stay home and get some rest."

"...How early is it, anyway-"

"About 3 a.m." He was happy to say it, laughing as you groaned and threw yourself onto the couch. "Relax, my dear. I'm going to get you sloshed and you'll sleep like a baby. I'll take our daughter for the day."

"I feel like I shouldn't find it romantic that your plan is to get me drunk-"

"I just need you to sleep, don't make it weird." He pinched your cheek, getting up and taking your mostly empty glass with him as he walked to the kitchen. "I'll top you off."

"Thank you, Alastor," He opened his mouth to reply, but you cut him off. "I love you." That made his heart flutter. The demon pursed his lips, places the glasses on the counter.

"I love you, too, Ma moitié."

* * *

The Happy Hotel's doors opened, the Radio Demon's casting a shadow over the entire lobby. The front desk wasn't empty, a familiar cat demon sitting up to see who was arriving. He rolled his eyes to see Alastor but smirked to see him wearing a baby carrier on his chest. The little demon inside was lightly kicking her feet, playing with her hands and drooling.

"Ah, Husker! Good morning!"

"Got stuck with the baby today?" Husk joked, sitting up with a pop of his back. Alastor just scoffed.

"No, I took my sweet BiBi voluntarily. She enjoys being at the hotel."

"AAH BIBI!" The shriek starteld Husk, making his fur stand on end, but Alastor was expecting the excitement. The Princess ran to the door, looking at the excited baby the entire way. The little demon started to giggled, happy to see Charlie coming to her. "You brought BiBi today! Oh, Hi sweetie~"

"Good morning, Charlie," Alastor started, clearly being ignored. Charlie began to make faces at the baby, BiBi trying desperately to copy her. "Yes, Y/n... isn't feeling well. So I took her for the day!"

"She pregnant again-?"

"Shut up," Alastor said darkly, the moment that word left Husk's lips. Husk didn't give a damn, actually amused by the response. Alastor composed himself, turning his attention back to Charlie. "I was hoping that you could help me with her today."

"Of course!" The princess beamed, "She's so cute. Is Y/n okay?"

"She's been feeling off lately. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about." The princess didn't buy that for a second but nodded nonetheless. Prying into the Radio Demon's private life was not wise. They continued to talk, going deeper into the hotel and discussing plans. 

At home, you tossed and turned in bed. The familiar park, so bright and colorful, always turned into a bleak and evil scene. Despite your best efforts, sleep would continue to evade you. In your dreams, your boogeyman took shape behind you. Unbeknownst to you, in the streets of Hell, your boogeyman hunted you still.


	2. He Comes

Sleeping through the day was the original plan, but it was halted with the repeated buzzing of the doorbell. You threw a pillow over your head, trying to ignore it but it persisted. It could only be one person anyway. You dragged yourself out of bed and weren’t surprised to swing the door open to a familiar spider demon.

The floofy spider didn’t stop ringing the bell, though. When he finally noticed you staring at him, he held the button down, slowly releasing it with a little smile.

“....What?”

“Hey, toots,” He let himself in, messing up your hair. He noted that the house was oddly dark. “You sleepin’ late? Where’s Bibi?”

“She’s with Alastor today. I...uh… I’m just catching up on my sleep.”

“Well, fuck. Playin' with the baby makes my day,” The demon complained, further letting himself in and sinking into your couch. “At least I can bother you.”

“I’d much rather go back to bed.” He said nothing, likely ignoring you and planning your day. You looked around the room for a clock and groaned to discover you’ve only gotten to sleep for a few hours. “Let me nap for a couple more hours and then we can go out and do something.”

“Mmm, yeah I’m okay with that,” He snuggled deeper into your couch, already relaxing. “I could use a nap. Alright, toots, you get a wink or two in.”

“Thank fuck.” That managed to get a giggle out of the pornstar. You looked at the stairs and they seemed to grow the longer you stared. Climbing them sounded like a chore. You just went to the living room and threw yourself on the couch beside Angel. “Scoot over.”

“Yeah, sure,” Angel started to yawn, your sleepiness apparently contagious. You snuggled together and it didn't take long for the both of you to doze off. The spider knocked out not too much longer after you.

An eerie coldness made you stir and with a shudder, you opened your eyes. Two large orbs of white in the dark, but a shining light behind it somehow. It started to make sense the more you looked, making out that a dark figure was looming over you. Their shining eyes were piercing your very soul and they cocked their head to the side curiously. You couldn't breathe. The quivering of your lip was the only thing you were thinking about. You closed your eyes as the figure got closer. Upon opening them again, you woke up on the couch by a sleeping Angel Dust and there was no one else in sight.

* * *

"And yet somehow, there wasn't a single person in line, could you imagine that?" Alastor quipped, laughing boisterously. Charlie laughed but her girlfriend just scoffed. The princess looked to her paramour, bouncing a happy baby demon on her knee. Vaggie couldn't be annoyed when she heard the baby giggle. "Careful, Charlotte, she just ate."

"I won't go too fast. She's having fun." The princess sighed, pinching the baby's chubby little cheek. "So, what does that story have to do with the hotel?"

"Oh right, I got a tad off track there," He admitted, making Vaggie take in a sharp breath. "Anyway, I was simply suggesting that we take that sort of approach with advertising."

"...Intimidating people?" Vaggie guessed. While Alastor liked that idea, he shook his head. "I don't get the point."

"I meant more of the open house part. Show off the hotel! Make a day of it!"

"That's... actually not a bad idea." Vaggie smiled, a welcome change that pleased the red demon. He seemed proud of himself. Charlie stopped bouncing the baby as she thought aloud. The little baby puffed up her cheeks, trying to bounce herself and failing.

"Yeah, an open house would be great! Everything we've ever thrown at the hotel HAS gotten some interesting glances thrown our way but nothing that ever showed off our facilities! Alastor, that's genius!"

"Yes, I know." He smirked. Vaggie was back to pouting as his arrogance shone through. "There are a few ways we could go about this but I would love to canvas everyone's ideas."

"We can go around and ask- ow." Charlie's head was lightly yanked, the impatient baby vying for her attention. Alastor scooped up his little brat, immediately turning her mood around. Bibi was cheering as the demon cradled her, nibbling on the sleeve of his suit jacket. Charlie grabbed her girlfriend's hands, just watching the father and daughter interact.

"Ma Biche, don't pull people's hair. It's not polite." He cooed, swirling a static shadow between his fingers. It caught the little girl's attention. She was entranced by his magic every time. "I just love that little smile." He nuzzled his nose against hers, the wild laughter of the tot warming his heart. Vaggie had a smug look on her face and to remedy it, Alastor handed his daughter off to her. Vaggie tensed, holding the baby away from her. "Now, Play with Vagatha while I'm working."

"Uh... Hi?" The baby blew a drool bubble in response, making Vaggie purse her lips. "Charlie, please take her-"

"It's easy, just bounce her on your knee," The princess urged, "She likes it!"

"Be careful though, she might vomit," Alastor warned. Vaggie shook her head, handing the baby to Charlie who took her without a second thought. As she snuggled into the baby, Alastor continued with his planning. "Now, about this open house. What do you think about a murder mystery party?"

"They're a bit... overdone. Plus, I don't think people would be interested in it."

"Hmm, a fair enough point. Masquerade, perhaps?"

"Maybe a costume party," Vaggie joked. To her surprise, Charlie's eyes twinkled. "...You can't be serious-"

"Why Vagatha! What a lovely idea!" Alastor pulled her to his side, annoying the fiery sinner. "A shindig with a fun little gimmick. Oh, I can see the turnout now!"

"You two should absolutely not be excited about this." Vaggie was ignored, the princess and Alastor already talking back and forth about costumes and advertising. "This is going to be a train wreck, are you guys even listening to me?"

"Oh! Vaggie, you and I should do a couples costume!" Charlie's excitement stopped Vaggie from complaining further. The hyper baby in her arms only added to the cuteness. There just wasn't a way to say no to those smiles.

"Whatever you say, hun."

* * *

"We're almost there-"

"Yeah, where are we going, again? I wasn't paying attention."

"Jeez, toots, you've been off all day. You on drugs or somethin'?"

"That's your first guess? Out of curiosity, if I was on drugs what would you think it would be?"

"Oh definitely coke." He answered, so confident that you pressed him to continue. "I mean, It's good shit."

"I'll take your word for it. So where are we going?"

"I just wanna buy some cute clothes for work and I'm draggin' you along." He admitted, "I'll buy ya somethin' cute for your hubby while we're there-"

"Ah yes, because Alastor loved the mini dress you got me once." You joked. Angel let out an exaggerated groan but at least it was keeping you awake. You appreciated his impromptu visit more and more with each passing moment. You walked through the musky streets, hitting the shops with your best friend in all of Hell. Angel Dust was good company and probably the only kind you could get.

Demons and sinners would cross the street when the saw they were walking towards you on the sidewalk. It was empowering at first, but it started to grate on your nerves. Your husband's infamous nature kept many people from casually passing you. 

"So we'll just have to get something that makes Mr. Prude turn the other cheek. So, what, does he like it when you show off some ankle?" You pushed the spider demon, turning away from him after the playful shove. Angel just smirked, reaching in his bust and pulling a box of cigarettes out. As he lit it, he glanced up, noticing that you were no longer alone on the sidewalk. "Finally, someone isn't too much of a pussy to leave when they see ya comin'." That got your attention. You looked forward, alarmed by the unmoving figure. He was cloaked, a large hat obscuring him but a pointed nose that reminded you of something. He was all black, almost inky in composition. You and angel continued to walk.

"...Should we turn around?"

"Something the matter?" Angel didn't have the same reservations. Though the figure didn't move, you and Angel walked right by him as if he wasn't even there. Angel was taller than him, and missed most of his features. However, you were shorter and looked up at him as you passed. His head finally moved, to meet your gaze as you walked by. You were short of breath the moment you made eye contact. His eyes were a bright white and the long probascus was now more clear. The traditional mask of a plague doctor stared back at you, his tattered cloak hiding the rest of him. You looked to the ground and continued to walk, an odd air of danger suffocating you. Angel didn't seem to notice.


	3. Intrepid

"GUESS WHAT BITCHES!" Angel shouted, kicking in the doors of the hotel. All the bags on his arms were swaying back and forth, the clothes inside threatening to fall out. Vaggie wasted no time rushing to the door, since she, Charlie and Alastor were in the lobby anyway. Alastor saw you walk in behind Angel, something clearly not right, and handed BiBi off to Charlie. "We went on a fuckin' spree. I got somethin' for everyone in here!"

"Angel! How many times do I have to tell you to not kick the door! And watch your language!"

"What? I said Bitch. It's not like I said cunts... again. Anyway, I got ya something Vaggie~" 

"If you bought it, I'm sure I don't want it-"

"Aw, come on, I got it just for you!" Angel begged. You walked past him, directly into your husband's arms. "Al, I got somethin' for your girls in here~"

"We got a cute little dress for BiBi." You mumbled. Alastor didn't say anything, gesturing for Charlie to bring your daughter to you. She rushed over, BiBi's eyes growing wide as you came into her view. She practically jumped out of Charlie's arms. You took your daughter, holding her between you and Alastor. "Hey, Sweetie."

"Did you get any sleep?"

"What do you think?" You nodded your head in the direction of Angel Dust, who was still arguing with Vaggie. "I got an extra hour tops." The Radio Demon remained unamused, static wiling out around him. Unfortunately, Angel was more preoccupied with Vaggie. Your husband turned back to you, kissing your forehead quickly and distancing himself. "Alastor, I uh... can we talk?"

"Of course." He started to head down the hall and you were in tow with your child in an instant. Charlie was concerned, but said nothing, looking back to see Angel waving Lingerie in Vaggie's face. You two didn't go too far down the hall, but just enough so that the yelling was quieter. You cradled your daughter so close, yet there was no joy in the embrace. "Smile... please..."

"Alastor, I think he's dead." Your statement took a moment for him to get. He opened his mouth but he ultimately didn't know what to say. Your morose look was of great concern to him, but he felt out of his league. "and... I think he's coming for me-"

" You have to let this go..." He shushed, pulling you and the baby close. The clueless kid just giggled at the hug. "If not for yourself, do it for BiBi."

"Alastor, I'm having these dreams for a reason-"

"Even if he did die, You were not his only victim." Alastor sighed, "Why would he come after you? Also, what in the 9 circles makes you think that he would even be able to get to you or powerful enough to hurt you-"

"You know, for all your shortcomings, I think your lack of empathy is the worst one."

"You wound me," He chuckled, faking offense, "For your information, it's my only shortcoming-"

"I get that as a killer yourself, you have a hard time thinking things from a 'victim perspective'," You spat, making the Radio Demon lean away nervously, "But I truly thought you were going to be of more comfort than this!"

"I'm simply being reasonable. You are married to an overlord. You are friends with the Princess of Hell. You are friends with another of Hell's overlords. You have no shortage of allies, my dear. You are well protected."

"Why do I sense no concern from you at all?" You shook your head, choking back your emotions as you spoke. He could hear it, and closed his eyes. "Me and your daughter don't have powers-"

"I understand where you're coming from but let's be realistic for a second: BiBi most likely has powers."

"She doesn't yet-"

"Let us assume you're right and that he is dead. What is your biggest fear? He's a mortal soul, a simple sinner... do you really think he could do anything to you? What are you afraid of?" You didn't answer. Alastor took that as a victory but you simply didn't want to say it out loud. You stared down at your husband, annoyed by his grin. "I will never let anything happen to you."

"If you can help it." You turned on your heel, headed back to the others with BiBi held close. She looked over your shoulder at her father, chewing on her little hands. You approached Charlie, looking as Angel was waving panties around in the air.

"WELL EXCUSE ME FOR TRYING TO HELP YOU OUT-"

"WHO TOLD YOU TO BUY ME LINGERIE!?"

"WELL, CHARLIE LIKES IT!"

"I-I said it would probably look good on her, don't put words in my mouth, please." The princess said nervously. She gave a sheepish laughed and turned to you but your less enthused face made her stop. "Y/n, are you okay?"

"Yeah, just kind of sleepy. Thank you, Charlie." You offered her a smile, despite the wiggly baby trying to crawl out of your arms. "I just came to get BiBi so Alastor could get some work done."

"Oh, that reminds me, we're having a costume party to try and boost the hotel's image and influence! It was Vaggie's idea."

"...Vaggies? Are you sure?" You glanced over one last time at Angel and Vaggie's spat. You didn't have anything else to add, trying to imagine the danger of the hotel being filled with demons and sinners in disguise all night. It made you queasy. Charlie's hand on your shoulder was of some comfort.

"You don't have to go if you don't want to-"

"Oh, no, I must." You argued, scoffing at the thought, "Alastor will probably want to do some kind of couples costume or family costume. I have to be there. It's just the right amount of cheesy for him."

* * *

The fresh smell of seafood always seemed to waft through your house. Alastor's cooking was all that could be smelled at this time of night. You liked smelling it from the living room, but being directly in the kitchen with all those spices in play was killer on your senses. You stuck to the living room, building a wooden block tower with BiBi. On the floor to your left, a fat little raccoon was lazing around, staring at the tower as it climbed higher. The baby grabbed a square block, trying to balance it on the tringle block that she had already placed. You didn't make a move to stop her and her block fell to the ground, startling the raccoon and making the raccoon scramble to his feet.

"BiBi, you startled Warbucks." She didn't even look at you, picking her block back up. As she did, Warbucks wiggled closer to the tower, grabbing the very bottom block and making the whole tower fall over. BiBi let out a shrill scream before throwing her block at Warbucks. "Okay, both of you be nice!"

"Dinner is ready!"

"Thank fuck." You picked the baby up, heading to the kitchen and immediately sneezing at the intense smells. The baby sneezed twice in rapid succession. "Ugh, Alastor, my nose is burning."

"That's how you know it's well made!" He cheered, "Put her in her high chair. I'll feed her-"

"You pureed it right? And there are not too many spices?"

"She needs to develop her palate, dear-"

"She's 5 months old." 

"Ugh, babies and their sensibilities-"

"You know what, I'll feed her." You offered, strapping her into the tall wooden chair. She was waggling her arms about excitedly. "She MAY be able to handle rice-"

"I cannot wait until she is old enough that dinner is not a hassle."

"Well, I suppose you're going to have to get used to the weaker links of the family." You sat down at the table, not even bothering to look up at Alastor. He sighed, going to fetch the bowl of mushy food for her. He kept looking at you, waiting for you to look at him but you wouldn't. Not even when he handed you the bowl, you just looked at BiBi. You brought the spoon up to the baby, the little demon staring at the spoon with great interest. She dove in for a bite and Alastor sat down at the table.

"...Darling, about today. It was not my intention to make you think I didn't care about your safety or BiBi's safety." That did it. You finally looked over, the baby managing to take the spoon from you while you were distracted. She nibbled at the think, tiny clinks from her itty bitty teeth making her giggle. Alastor took in a deep breath and took your hand from across the table. "In fact... I worry about your safety all the time... but I have to be composed to take care of you both. I can't afford for my armor to crack, not even for a moment."

"Part of me knows that..." You admitted, You looked into his eyes, the soft cherry glow calming you. "I just... I wish you were more emotionally open sometimes... I'm genuinely afraid."

"You're absolutely right... I'll get there. Be patient with me." He chuckled, trying to keep his smile up. The Radio demon gestured to your little girl, happily munching on a spoon. "If someone had told me 2 years ago that I'd be married and have a child, I would have called them insane. I'm trying to change. I am. For you and for her."


	4. Regression

The little demon kicked her feet as you tried to tuck her into bed. She whined in her sleep, making you and Alastor giggle at her. You kissed her forehead before leaving the room and Alastor did the same. His shadows remained stationed in the corners of the nursery, ready to protect the baby through the night. As the door to her room closed, Alastor looked to you. The Radio Demon let out a loving sigh, at peace now that the day was over with.

"Shall we retire for the evening, Ma moitié?"

"Yes, please. Why does today feel like it took too long?"

"Pretty sure that's sleep deprivation." Alastor quipped. "Would you like me to run you a bath?"

"Nah," You beelined straight for your bed, throwing yourself into it with an annoyed sigh. Alastor just rolled his eyes. You laid face down on the bed and your husband just slinked into the sheets as if you weren't in the way. He rolled you over a little and got comfortable. "Alastor. I don't want to sleep."

"You need to sleep. Just try it. If you have a nightmare, I'm right here." That managed to make you smile, but you stayed where you were. Alastor didn't mind, just rolling over and going to bed. You distanced yourself from him a little more, curling into a ball for comfort and trying to let sleep take you. Every little noise in the house was amplified, making your mind work overtime. It felt like you had been lying there for a century. The line between consciousness and deep sleep was blurred. Were you even awake right now? 

You sat up in bed, looking over at Alastor first. He was sound asleep, peacefully on his back with a smile on his face. It didn't relax you like you were hoping. The room was fairly dark, even the light from the window wasn't bright enough for comfort. You couldn't sleep at all. You were still awake when Alastor got up.

* * *

With a stroke of a paintbrush, Vaggie applied glue to the back of a poster. She grumbled minor complaints as she stuck it to the side of some building. Alastor stood at her side, keeping her safe as she put up the adverts for the party. The fiery sinner resented being protected, ignoring all of Alastor's attempts at small talk and jokes. As far as she was concerned: he was there to hold the bucket and posters.

"Do you think this is high traffic enough for this poster? I want as many people to see it as possible." No answer from her. Alastor didn't particularly care. When Vaggie was done, she started down the street for another place to put a poster up. Alastor followed, his presence keeping any passerby's away. 

"I can't believe we're doing this."

"Need I remind you, this was your idea?" He said smugly. She growled, continuing her work plus trying to ignore him. He handed her another paper. "You're doing an amazing job!"

"Gee, thanks-"

"Vaggie... can I ask you for a favor?" She immediately tensed, turning to face him as she slapped a poster onto the wall. He wasn't phased at all.

"Absolutely not. If you think I'm going to do anything for you-"

"It's not for me." He cut her off, checking his nails to avoid eye contact. "Unrelated: You didn't put glue on that poster." The woman turned around, letting out an annoyed grunt to see the wrinkled poster on the ground. She shook her head, trying to get over the embarrassment as the Radio Demon continued. "You... You have group therapy for the hotel tonight... correct?"

"Yes. I do."

"Good... Good... Y/n hasn't been sleeping lately." The Radio Demon's tone changed significantly. It was much less upbeat when he mentioned you. Vaggie calmed herself down. When it comes to Alastor, she never let her guard down but the only time the overlord seemed remotely redeemable was when it pertained to you. She was far more open now and nodded. "She needs to get all of this anxiety and fear off her chest. She needs to talk to someone."

"And that someone can't be her husband because?"

"She was murdered by a serial killer," Alastor said bluntly, Vaggie's demeanor shifted entirely. "This is a perspective that... I can't help with."

"Oh, So because I was a victim, I can-"

"No, Because you weren't a serial killer, you can." Alastor scoffed, finally sounding annoyed with this conversation. Vaggie backed up a few steps, letting that sink in. "I am in a very unique position. I am simply unable to talk about this with my Doll in a certain way. That's why I need your help." Vaggie's genuine surprise caused a brief moment of silence. Alastor's fear appeared to be true. A weak smile crept onto her face, making the Radio Demon laugh. "There is something about her death that I don't know about. Something that makes her certain that he is after her again. She doesn't like to discuss it with me... but maybe she'll tell you."

"That can be a very sensitive subject... especially depending on what happened to her." Vaggie started to reason with herself out loud. She wanted to help you, but the likelihood you'd cooperate with her is slim. You weren't strangers, by any means, but you certainly weren't as close with her as everyone else. "I'll try my best. That's all I can promise. Let's just hurry up with these stupid posters."

"Well that's not nice. Charlie worked very hard on these posters-"

"That's Not What I Meant!"

* * *

Angel Dust couldn't help but giggle, hiding his face behind all of his hands just to surprise the baby. BiBi would scream with joy when Angel smiled and suddenly appeared. It was heartwarming to watch and gave you some time to relax. Husk leaned against the bar, twirling an empty bottle against the bar and hating everything. You let out a hefty yawn, which took your daughter's attention for a moment. She opened her mouth wide, making weird groans to try and copy the sound you just made. Angel poked the baby in the forehead and turned to you.

"'Ey, I'm entertainin' here. You're taking away my number one fan."

"Your number one fan can be easily distracted by a springy doorstop." You added, "She'll pay attention to you again, you just have to give her a minute."

"Hey, BiBi! Check it out." Angel couldn't stop snickering, using sleight of hand to fake pulling off his fingers. Your daughter glanced at him and he had her full attention once again. She couldn't quite get the hand motions the same, so to copy him all she could do was clap her hands. "Thank you, you're a lovely audience."

"I'd believe that was your kid, for damn sure," Husk started, "But if some shmuck walked up to me and told me the other half of that kid is the Radio Demon, I'd tell him he's fucking nuts."

"She has very little of Alastor's mannerisms... I think it drives him crazy. Then again, she's a baby. She'll get there."

"You thinking about more kids?"

"If I even bring up the idea of more kids, Alastor pretends he doesn't hear me." That got a chuckle out of Husk, which made you smile. Husk just continued to watch Angel Dust with the baby, amused. Angel had lost his glove to BiBi. The baby was snuggling up to it and trying to figure out what it was. She bit one of the fingers and Angel just took out his phone and started filming. "Since BiBi, Alastor has been really cautious."

"Yeah, I didn't ask." Even though it was a putdown, it cracked you up a bit. That's why you liked talking to Husk anyway, he didn't care. You took that as your sign to be quiet, just watching Angel bond with the baby. The Spider demon raised her high into the air, making her laugh and scream.

"You're flying! Look at you!"

"At this rate, Her first word might be Angel." You joked. Husk thought about it for a second and loved the thought.

"How pissed do you think Al would be if her first words are anything but Dada?"

"Oh, He'd hunt angel for sport if that happened." While you giggled about it, the cutest little housekeeper wandered into the lobby. She was covered in dust and looked triumphant as all get out. The little redhead was going to greet you but then she spotted BiBi. "Hey, Nifty-"

"BIBI!!!" She rushed to the baby, jumping excitedly as Angel lowered the baby down to her. Nifty picked her up immediately, snuggling the happy child. "I didn't know you were coming today! Oh you look so cute! Is your dress new!?"

"I bought it for her yesterday~. She and her daddy can really pull off deep red, right?" Angel bragged. He and Nifty continued to dote on the little darling as Alastor and Vaggie returned to the hotel. Vaggie clapped for attention the moment she entered, which made Angel roll his eyes.

"Hey, We have group in 20 minutes. I hope you all didn't forget!" A festival of groans escaped everyone and Vaggie turned to you with a smile. "Y/n, do you want to sit in with us? These sessions can be very liberating." You looked to BiBi, prepared to make up an excuse, but Alastor butt in quickly.

"Ah, that reminds me. Y/n, I'm going to take BiBi over to Rosie. She has a little surprise for her. So you don't have to worry about BiBi."

"Fuck." You didn't have another excuse prepared that didn't involve the baby. You offered Vaggie a smile and then looked to Angel. At least this wouldn't be completely boring. "Yeah, I have nothing going on... so, sure."


	5. Immunity

The circle of chairs kept you all facing one another, which didn't help your nerves. Angel was leaning back in his chair, determined to care very little about this. Husk was there just because and Nifty was just happy to be anywhere. Charlie entered last, spotting you and taking the seat beside you with a big smile. Vaggie felt more comfortable with her in the room and decided to begin. She clapped quickly for attention and the room fell quiet.

"Alright, so continuing from last week, we are going to talk about how our experiences grew to where we find ourselves now. So, Y/n, since you weren't here last time... why don't you start us off."

"Oh, okay um... how?"

"Well, we usually start from before we died and what we think got us here."

"...I'm here because my soul was traded to Alastor." You said with a shrug. Vaggie just nodded, mentally cursing that she forgot that little detail. You didn't earn hell like the rest of them. Vaggie tried to turn it around, carefully thinking. Luckily, Charlie gave her two cents.

"Well, there must be something you want to share still. You can talk about anything! This is a safe place." Charlie's smile was infectious, instantly putting you at ease. Vaggie was relieved and decided to let Charlie take it from here. "Go ahead, we're all friends here."

"I guess I... um... maybe have some issues." You looked to Angel Dust, calmed by his thumbs up. "I was murdered... pretty violently. It's been bugging me lately."

"Now we're gettin' into the juicy shit." Angel cheered, "Sing out, sister."

"Well, I was um, I don't know," You shook it off, shuddering as bits of memories invaded you. Vaggie bit her lip and Charlie gave you a hug. Angel saw your fear and adjusted himself in his chair. He felt a twinge of fear himself as he spoke up.

"Why don't I start us off instead." Angel offered, clearing his throat. "Let me tell ya all about one of my biggest fuck ups. Get some popcorn for this one. It's a story of that good shit." Vaggie would normally scold him for the interruption but Angel was being selfless so she let it slide. "So, Let's talk about Drug use versus Drug Abuse and how to snort responsibly."

* * *

The two overlords looked on, many ladies surrounding and cooing at the small baby. She was constantly being tickled and pinched on the cheek, surrounded by so much love and attention that she didn't know what to do. Alastor and Rosie chuckled at the poor confused demon, Rosie's girls in awe over the baby. The mistress sighed, reaching for her tea and tapping her cup with her nail to get Alastor's attention.

"You need to tell her." Rosie started. Alastor rolled his eyes, not wanting to hear this right now. "If he is indeed dead, you need to validate how she's feeling-"

"But if I tell her that he IS in fact fixated on her, she'd never feel safe again. I'd much rather find out what makes her so important to him, first." He reasoned. Rosie wasn't able to argue with that, nodding along as Alastor continued. "The only part of her death I witnessed was the last bit. When she was stabbed. When she shares her concerns with me, it's so hard to lie to her that I do indeed believe he would be after her again."

"Is there any particular reason you think so? What makes her more special than his other victims?"

"She was stabbed. His previous ones all died of some nasty disease. I don't know what happened before I was summoned to collect her and drag her to Hell... but whatever led to him stabbing her must be why she's so afraid of him coming back for her."

"And it's that piece of information that you're hoping can be collected for you."

"Exactly."

"Well, good luck. I hope you get the information you need." Rosie said simply, turning her attention back to the baby demon. "She's so cute. It's hard to believe she'll probably overthrow many overlords in her time."

"That adorable little face is going to bring all of Hell to its knees... once she learns to walk, of course." They shared a laugh, continuing to watch the baby's struggle. BiBi started to pinch everyone back, her little retaliation only making the ladies pinch her cheeks more. They fawned over the infant for a good while, which allowed Alastor to shoot the breeze with his friend. His daughter's little tail was in overdrive. "Y/n asked me once about more kids."

"Oh? And what did you say?"

"I pretended I wasn't listening." He admitted proudly, "Why mess with perfection? Y/n and I got it right the first time." He gestured to BiBi, still smug. "My daughter is perfect."

"She might like a little playmate, though."

"Ugh, not you too, Rosie. You're supposed to be on my side."

"I am on whatever side brings more adorable children over." She teased, nudging the demon playfully. Alastor tried to start ignoring her, but his smile was clearly amused. Rosie continued to stare him down. "BiBi is so precious... If I got her a puppy, what would you do?"

"Her and Warbucks barely get along. I don't want more small animals in the house. You take far too much pleasure in spoiling my child."

"Well, you're not going to do it."

"Not at all!" 

* * *

You had moved to sit beside Angel Dust, holding his hand in support as he retold his story and as you shared yours. Husk was even listening but hadn't said anything. Charlie was welling with tears and Vaggie was still wrapping her head around it.

"Have you ever told any of that to Alastor?" Nifty said, with a slight whine. "I'm sure he'd want to know that something like that was upsetting you."

"I don't... Alastor thinks I'm being paranoid. He had 8 other victims."

"I think you should tell that story to Alastor." Charlie insisted. She walked over, kneeling before you with a smile. "He loves you and I'm sure he wants to know exactly why you're so afraid."

"He's probably not even dead... I'm overreacting, right?" You looked around, your eyes begging to get some peace of mind. Your friends looked at one another but said nothing. You started to rub your eyes. After a bit, Angel nuzzled against you.

"I mean... So what if he is? Between Smiles and us, no one's gonna fuck with you. You don't ever have to be afraid, toots."

"Angel is right," Charlie spiritedly agreed, "You're in good hands... and you know... Vaggie could teach you how to protect yourself! If you're afraid we won't always be there." Charlie looked back to her girlfriend with pleading eyes, expecting Vaggie to instantly agree. She was shocked at first, but did nod eventually. Charlie clapped in triumph and looked back to you. "You're going to be just fine!"

"Thank you guys... Thank you."


	6. Reason

Struggling against the restraints burned your wrists and the reverb of your whimpering was hurting your head. You shook against the table. The man above you looked down, his face unreadable but his body language radiating anger. You took in a deep breath, trying to calm your heavy heartbeats. He walked away from the table for a second, rummaging through a cabinet just out of your view. You still attempted to look. He was scraping his fingernails along the cabinet door.

"How am I supposed to go forward..." He growled. He sounded dejected. Your neck cracked as you tried to turn your head and he looked back at you for a second. That didn't last long, though. He returned to looking through his things. "My research... This ruins everything." You opened your mouth, but you couldn't say anything. You bit your lip and looked away. "It's ruined... ruined... RUINED!" He pulled the doors and knocking the cabinet to the ground. You could hear glass breaking, and putrid smells rose. He picked up a shard of glass off the floor, his blood and some deep black ooze dripping off it. He raised it high above his head, bringing the shard on your heart with great force.

"SOMEBODY HELP ME-"

"YOU DID THIS! YOU RUINED EVERYTHING!" Heat drained from your body. The gaping wound stung at the first swing but you couldn't feel it anymore. You couldn't feel anything anymore. Your vision was starting to go but the room turned bright red just before it went dark. Within the red, you could see dark antlers.

Alastor said nothing for the entire story. He rocked BiBi in his arms, listening to how you arrived here. The Radio Demon had nothing to say, even when you were finished. You looked away, mumbling your thoughts. It got BiBi to look at you, even though she had no idea what was happening.

"I mean... I would have died either way, to be honest. He spent 3 days trying to infect me but I was immune to his 'life's work'." Your air quotes amused you a bit, but the memories kept you from retaining joy. BiBi seemed saddened by that, stretching out of her father's arms and into yours. You welcomed her with a warm hug, unable to frown as you held her. Alastor chuckled.

"There is no good response to learning why your wife was murdered... but looks like I am not the only one who is glad that you died." He expected that to sound much worse but your blush assured him that you weren't upset. "Darling, nothing will happen to you or our daughter. Not on my watch."

"Vaggie is going to teach me to defend myself, so I'm excited to see how that goes. I wish I had powers like you though... something that would just make me inherently feel safe." Alastor seemed to shy away at your wish, tugging his collar. "I'm sorry I never told you all of this-"

"You aren't obligated to tell me anything, dear." He couldn't take your hand, so he put it on your leg. The Radio Demon's soft smile was assuring. "Why don't we take our minds off this? Let's get BiBi to bed and... enjoy ourselves." He kept glancing away from you, which clued you in to what he was hinting at. You gave the demon a quick peck on the cheek before getting up and taking BiBi up to her room. He watched you ascend the stairs, hoping that he was better at hiding his fears than he felt he was.

When you disappeared upstairs, Alastor's shadows appeared before him. He gave them a stern look before they dispersed. They checked every window and surveyed the perimeter of the house. He climbed the stairs slowly, watching the shadows search the house for any sign of danger. As he reached the top, you exited your daughters room. You gave a flirty grin to the demon and he smirked as he followed you into your bedroom.

* * *

"So I'm thinking about going as a sexy maid. You think Husky would like it?" The Spider Demon was already browsing costumes on his phone. You were too, but you hadn't actually looked at the costumes since BiBi started snuggling Fat Nuggets. You set your phone down on Angel's bed, just watching Warbucks circling the pair. ".... You listening-?"

"Shh, Warbucks is jealous." You whispered, intently watching as the Raccoon shifted his gaze between you and BiBi. Your daughter had Fat Nuggets in her arms, rubbing her face against his. Angel even stopped to look, but didn't look for too long.

"Cute. Anyway, I'm looking for a costume that's just the right amount of slutty. I don't want Vaggie to knaw my fuckin' head off."

"I honestly don't think Husk will care about anything you put on."

"See, I was thinking that too but last Helloween he did like my sexy cat costume... I think-"

"You think?" Angel didn't have a response, just shrugging as he continued to scroll down his search results. You looked back at your phone, finally. You had a text from Vaggie but you continued your costume search first. "I might go as an angel... do you think that would go over well?"

"Oh, that would be cute. What would Al be?"

"I don't know, Lucifer-"

"I do think he could pull off the hat." Angel agreed, trying his best to picture it. "Huh... What if... You came as Lilith?...And... BiBi dressed like Charlie-"

"Oh god, Charlie would love that... but I don't know if it's a good idea for me and Alastor to dress like her parents."

"It would be the cutest. Ugh, you have to do it. We can even get you a bangin' dress." Angel pushed himself off his bed, heading to his closet to rummage through his things. You watched him, mostly in your head about the pros and cons of this family costume. You looked at BiBi, imagining her with rosy little cheeks. "I think I have a black dress that you could borrow... But how do we give you the horns? We'll have to troubleshoot some shit but I think it could work!"

"Angel, if the King and Queen find out about this-"

"What are they gonna do? Kill you? It's practically a compliment anyway. Besides, they will probably never find out. Now Charlie! Charlie will love it!"

"I'd still feel better if I ran it by her first- and not to mention I have to ask Alastor if he's okay with that-"

"He'll be unloading dad jokes on Charlie all night if you do it. He'll go for it. Trust me."


	7. Planning

Alastor snickered, watching Nifty and BiBi play. Nifty was showing the baby a cute bug that she found, careful to not let BiBi pick him up and eat him. Charlie walked through the lobby and noticed, a cute tight smile hurting her cheeks. She took out her phone and started taking pictures.

"Okay, so, what should we name him BiBi?" Nifty asked, pinching the little baby's cheek. BiBi just drooled, trying to reach for the bug again, only for Nifty to take her hand away. "No, BiBi, that's not food."

"She can't talk," Alastor scoffed, "She can't name him."

"BiBi! Say something!" Nifty pleaded, hugging the baby. BiBi opened her mouth but she just made little gurgle noises. Nifty groaned and Alastor continued to laugh about it. "Come on. Say BUG."

"If her first word is Bug, Nifty, I will never forgive you." 

"B U G." Nifty tried to get the baby to copy her but the most BiBi did was make little noises. She eventually gave up, picking up Bibi and handing her to Alastor. He raised a brow but hugged his daughter close to him. "I'm sorry, I think your baby is broken."

"She's barely 7 months, Nifty. She struggles with crawling, still." The Radio Demon said with a smile, playing with the baby's hair. "Yesterday she bit her own hand and cried for about 20 minutes."

"Babies are dumb."

"Extremely." Alastor agreed. Charlie shot him a look but the Radio Demon wasn't about to apologize. His daughter hugged him, snuggling into his suit. " How is your day going, Charlotte?"

"Huh? Oh," Charlie snapped back to attention, hearing the demon change the subject. She shifted foot to foot and giggled together a response. "I'm alright... Worried a little about your wife."

"That makes two of us. Vaggie will go easy on her, right?"

"Oh, of course," The hyper nodding from the princess was almost comical. "I was actually a little more worried about her paranoia. It's getting worse. So... I was thinking." Charlie's tone turned cutesy and her pleading eyes wanted something from the Radio Demon. "Maybe it would help her if... she knew for sure that he was dead. So I've been looking into it..."

"Don't." Alastor warned. Charlie wasn't expecting the resistance to be so strong. "Charlie, you're sweet. If you found him, you would do something that is more in line with your... beliefs. Now, If I found him. **I'd kill him**."

"Alastor, He's a person that made mistakes-"

"His first one was killing my wife-"

"Everyone should have a chance at redemption-"

"Oh, I KNEW that is where we were going with this," Alastor mocked, turning his back to Charlotte. Nifty watched on, shifting her gaze between Alastor and Charlie. "You're going to try and tell my doll that her fears are unwarranted, and some garbage about forgiveness-"

"He may regret what he did! After all, she was his last victim and he had a severe breakdown after she died-"

"He's scum-"

"You changed! Why can't he-"

"I got married. I've hardly changed."

"And you had a baby-"

"That was an accident." He shrugged, scratching the back of BiBi's fuzzy ears. She giggled and that made Alastor feel warm. "Sometimes accidents are a good thing."

"Are you really going to try and convince me that you haven't changed for Y/n at all? Not even for BiBi?"

"All I've changed are diapers." Alastor said with a chortle, "I don't have time for this. If you insist on finding him and trying to get them to have some sort of peaceful resolution, then I have no choice but to hunt him down myself. We'll see who finds him first."

* * *

Vaggie's surprise was shared, as you stunned yourself a few times. You weren't the best at dodging her jabs at first but got much better as the lesson went on. She was beaming by the end, clapping at your success. You were a bit bashful, looking away from her. The birds that collected on the roof had become your audience, watching you intently.

"Great job. Evasion is very important. Remember: If you don't have to fight, then don't. Get a good distance and find help. It's good to have backup."

"Thank you, Vaggie. To be honest, I wasn't expecting to be doing this well." 

"Anytime. We care about you. Wouldn't want some asshole to try and hurt you." She headed for the door and it took you a moment to follow her. The ominous caw of the crows made you uneasy as you entered the dark stairwell. You followed Vaggie, her hair swaying back and forth as you descended. "Ugh, I'm starving. What about you?" You didn't answer, staring at the walls. She looked back at you over her shoulder, more amused than anything. "Uh, you okay there?"

"Huh?"

"I asked if you were hungry."

"Oh, probably. Food sounds good."

"Great. I think I'm going to order out for lunch." 

"Sounds good." You repeated, trying to sound optimistic as you reentered the hotel. The top floor remained unused, mostly dark. You looked deep into the halls as Vaggie called the elevator up to you. The darkness of the halls seemed to move, almost sway. You stared into the abyss, envisioning bright white eyes staring back at you. The ding of the elevator scared you and you boarded it quickly as soon as the doors started to open.

"Yeah, the top floor kinda unsettles me." Vaggie admitted, making you feel a little more justified about your haste. She offered you a soft smile, as well. "It's okay. Plenty of light in the lobby."

"Cool... So, before practice, Angel and I were talking about me and Alastor dressing as Lilith and Lucifer-"

"Would BiBi be Charlie?" Vaggie snorted, making your nervous. You just nodded. "Charlie would love it. You have to tell her about it. She actually might be able to help you with it, too."

You arrived into the lobby, walking with Vaggie and talking about lunch options. You were expecting to see Alastor and Charlie but only Nifty and your daughter were there. You were confused, but at least BiBi was having fun. The baby was giggling like crazy.

"Come on, say BUUUUUUUUUGG." Nifty pleaded, " BUH UGH. BUG."

"...Uh, Nifty?" You interrupted, earnign a big smile from the tiny demon.

"Hi, Y/n! Hi Vaggie! I'm trying to teach BiBi to talk."

"Oh, I don't recommend it. Alastor has been trying to get her to say Dada so much that if she says anything else first I think he'd have an aneurism." You joked, which got a laugh from Vaggie. "By the way. Where is my other half today?"

"He had to step out for a minute," She held the baby up to you, with a smile. "He let me watch BiBi!"

"And, where's Charlie?" Vaggie asked. Nifty could only shrug and that made the fiesty demon concerned. You put a hand on her shoulder, but it seemed of little comfort. "I'll give her a call and find out. Thanks Nifty."


	8. Hunted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, sorry it took so long to update anything. I got a shit load of good games for Christmas and I have been playing them all nonstop. I am still very much in love with Alastor, this story isn't over. I'm just overindulging in my steam library. BTW, if any of you bitches play Phasmophobia, hmu. I didn't get Phasmophobia for Christmas, I had it before that, but I'm just always looking for chill people to curse at ghosts with. Anyway, story time.

The baby had fallen asleep with the piglet and the raccoon, cuddled in a big pile and leaning on an oversized pillow. Angel was on the pillow beside them, looking down at the bundle with a smile on his face. You were at the edge of his bed, scrolling on your phone and waiting or Alastor's return. Night had already fallen over Pentagram City. Alastor had yet to return to the hotel and Angel Dust was quick to suggest a sleep over. You threw on an oversized shirt and shorts but sleep was the furthest thought from your mind.

"Toots, you okay?" Angel said suddenly. You looked over at the spider demon. Whatever face you were making made him smirk. "Get some sleep. I'm sure Al won't mind. I prefer me a good dick, his girls are safe with me."

"I wonder why he would just leave. He knows I don't really want to be alone lately... What could he be doing?"

"Your husbands a fuckin' weirdo." Angel shrugged, still in awe over how cute BiBi was. "Just get some sleep. You'll be okay."

"I'm too antsy... I think I'm going to walk around the hotel." You said with a bounce, trying to put Angel Dust at ease. He rolled his eyes and waved you off. You simply left his room, closing the door softly behind you as you entered the seemingly endless hallway. Wall and doors stretched for miles. You took in the air of the hall, less fragrant that Angel's room. Oddly clear. You started your walk, taking long exaggerated steps as you probed your own mind for answers.

* * *

"Hon, you shouldn't be out this late-"

"I have Alastor with me-"

"Yeah, that doesn't put me at ease," Vaggie said with a sigh, "Listen, neither of you need to be looking for this guy. I don't think Alastor should just hunt him down and murder him, but this isn't the kind of person we should be giving the benefit of the doubt, either-"

"Vaggie, I know that this isn't something that's easy to forgive... but I think if they talked it out, it would be so much better for both of them than all this fear and rage-" Charlie was cut off by Alastor muttering something, but Vaggie couldn't hear exactly what he said. She still got offended on her girlfriends behalf.

"Tell him to shut up!"

"I'm not going to say that!"

"Good evening to you too, Vagatha." That time she heard him. She steamed as he spoke to her, trying to keep her temper under control. " I'm simply trying to protect my family."

"So am I! Just in a way that protects others-"

"To Hell with them. There are only two people in this afterlife I care about." 

"Alastor!"

"Okay, you two seem busy, so I'll let you get back to your search." Vaggie didn't waste time hanging up, pinching the bridge of her nose and tossing her phone onto her bed. She shook her head, leaving her bedroom and leaning against the door for a moment. She took in the silence of the hotel. She headed down to the lobby, mumbling to herself about this whole mess until she made it there.

Husk looked over when Vaggie entered the lobby, but went back to the bottle a minute later. She looked over with a scoff, and Husk was prepping himself for the argument.

"I thought I told you no drinking on the job-"

"And I told you 'I don't consider this a job.'" He burped at the end of his sentence and wiped his mouth on his arm. Vaggie took in a deep breath to compose herself. Nifty wandered by, dragging a vacuum behind her. She looked up at Husk with a smile and he couldn't bring himself to say something smart to the little lady. "...What, Nifty?"

"Can you help me reach the top of the ballroom? I can't clean the chandelier."

"Let me finish this bottle."

"Okay!" She cheered, climbing on to a barstool. She kicked her feet as she waited. "Hi, Vaggie!" She simply offered a shy wave. "I saw Y/n on my way here. She's walking around cause she can't sleep. Why is she not at home?"

"She doesn't like being home by herself." Vaggie answered, leaning against the bar, "If anyone broke in their house while Alastor isn't home, Y/n and BiBi would be defenseless. Which makes it super fucking selfish that he went wandering off for her killer this late!"

"Is that where the fuck Charlie went?" Husk groaned, "Who even cares! Even if the guy is dead!"

"Charlie wants to redeem him, Alastor wants to kill him."

"I'm not usually the guy that will side with Al," Husk warned, "but... The fuck does Charlie think that'll do?"

"I don't know," Nifty started, oddly optimistic, "It could give Y/n a lot of much-needed closure! She could find answers to questions no one else could know-"

"If he's willing to answer them, he killed her once before," Husk added. Vaggie kept quiet, conflicted on who's side she supported. "Let's say he does regret killing her, he still fucking did it. Can't fix that shit."

"I'm not going to say that jerk can be redeemed. I'm just saying, maybe asking him some things would help her move on!"

"Maybe." Vaggie finally said, more to herself than anything else. The quiet ambiance of the hotel, usually solace for the sinner, was oddly still. She looked over at Husk again, who had opened another bottle despite his promise to Nifty. "I... don't know if I agree with Charlie here... but I admire that she wants to try and do this her way-"

"Alastor's got the right idea. Just kill the fucker."

* * *

The further up you went in the hotel, the hallway lights were dimmer. The high floors were mostly unused and the higher you went the more evident that was. Nifty obviously hadn't cleaned this high up and some of the rooms were simply acting as storage, holding extra mattresses and furniture. There was a light banging further down the hall, echoing from the darkness. You headed toward it, deciphering the loud rapping the closer you got. As you approached the room, you were proven right. 

In the dark room, a flimsy headboard was hitting the wall in response to strong winds from outside. You couldn't help but laugh, entering the room without a second thought and closing the window. You lingered, staring out at the lights of the city. A prick at your fingers stopped your sightseeing. You winced, backing up and looking at the splinter in your finger.

"Fucking..." It wasn't deep. You flicked it out without a care. It did make you curious. You looked closer at the window, noting scratched along the bottom of the window sill. They were deep enough to be visible, but not gouged so deeply as to be easily spotted. You backed up, more afraid of the dark around you as you backed out of the room.

You made it to the hall, your hands tight against you, but not quite hugging your body. You looked both ways down the wall, the endless corridors somehow ever-expanding yet suffocating. You had to get back to the elevator. You didn't look behind you once. You pushed the button for the elevator. Unfortunately, the door didn't open. It put you on edge to have to wait for the lift, unsure of who else would be using it this late. You tapped your foot, still refusing to turn around. 

"Everything... is okay." You mumbled, exhaling the last bit. The hallway felt smaller, more claustrophobic. "Everything... is ... okay." You scratched the top of your head, watching your shadow mimic you on the elevator doors. You sighed, watching your shadow for comfort. It reminded you of Alastor. "....Everything is okay..." You could see the panic set in, your heavy breathing obvious in your shadow. You opened your mouth to speak again, and wings unfurled from your shadow. "Everything is not okay."


	9. Begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another long period between updates. I started a new job, things got kinda crazy. Anyway, let's roll.

The elevator whirred as it honed in on your location but your eyes were fixated on the shadows. Wings grew from your shadow, but beneath the penumbra grew a thinner and ganglier form. You took in a deep breath. As you turned, you made eye contact with it. The dark thing was mangled and crooked. It was falling apart at the joints and it's wings were sickly. Its face resembled a plague doctor mask, though the proboscis opened to reveal rows of sharp teeth. It snarled as it looked at you. Bioluminescent green drool dripped from its maw.

"Oh, fuck..." You back up, leaning against the elevator. It closed in on you. It raised a claw to you. The veins in its arms were also bright green. As it moved to swipe, the elevator door fell open. You fell inside, hitting the button to go to the ground floor. The doors didn't close fast enough. The creatures lunged in, snapping its jaws in your direction and splattering goo on the lift's walls. You screamed, ducking out of the way of every bite.

The avian creature let out an ear-piercing squawk before unhinging its jaw. Your eyes went wide as it lunged for your neck. You ducked, unable to avoid the bottom of his jaw. The skeletal form locked its jaws on top of your head and your scream echoed through the elevator shaft. It lifted a claw to you, but you grabbed it, pushing against it with all your strength. Soon enough, the elevator dinged.

The moment the elevator door dinged, a spear shot through the creature's right eye and out of it's left. It teeth in your forehead loosened up, the air finally making the bite sting. Vaggie stood in the open door, breathing heavily as she held her spear firm. Angel appeared in the door soon enough and Nifty followed. Vaggie pulled the spear out, letting the body fall to the elevator floor. You stayed against the wall, hanging on to the railing.

"...The fuck is that?!" Angel asked. You ran out of the elevator, crashing into the spider demon's arms for comfort. He was still confused but patted your back. "Toots, you're bleedin' pretty bad-"

"Are you okay?" Vaggie finally asked, shaking the head off her weapon. "I heard the scream and we all ran to the elevator."

"Well, almost all of us," Nifty added, "I think Husk is still at the bar." Vaggie just groaned but didn't have any comment on that. You put your hand to your head, blood wetting your finger tips and a headache beginning to form on the back of your neck. "...Is that...him?"

"Fuck him." Angel kicked the corpse for good measure, snuggling you closer to him. "Ugh, finally, it's over-"

"Angel, where's my daughter?"

"Asleep in my room. Your scream didn't wake her. Relax. BiBi is safe." 

"I'm calling Charlie, RIGHT now. Nifty, can you tend to her wounds?" Vaggie whipped her phone out in an instant and Nifty seemed excited at the idea of being a nurse. She grabbed dyoru hand, already dragging you somewhere.

"You can count on me! I've always wanted to try this!"

"That's prolly not a good thing to hear your doctor say." Angel joked, following with a light snicker. Vaggie stayed by the body, staring at the drippy glowing corpse as she dialed her girlfriend.

* * *

Charlie answered her phone without so much as an excuse me. Alastor chuckled but didn't particularly care. They were in the middle of a promising lead anyway. Charlie left the table, walking a good 4 feet away while Alastor continued to peruse the Library's newspaper archive. Charlie was so excited to share what they had learned, that she didn't even say 'hello'.

"Vaggie! Oh, I'm so glad you called!"

"Hon, please calm down-"

"We found him!" That made Vaggie deathly silent. Charlie was bursting at the seams on the other end. Hearing nothing, she continued. "Turns out, he didn't stop killing when he died! Alastor and I traced back a slew of missing demons to him."

"...And you're excited about that?"

"I mean... no," She finally calmed down. Alastor, only hearing Charlie's side of the conversation, was amused to hear her excitement fade. "I'm excited because we made so much progress! I probably should have called when we first discovered he was still abducting people. You were right, redemption is... not for everyone. I still think Y/n facing him could do her a world of good-!"

"Y/n was attacked in the hotel." Now Charlie was silent. Alastor raised a brow, finally looking over at the stunned princess. He didn't like her silence, but he hated her next words even more.

"...Is Y/n hurt?" Alastor stood up almost immediately, walking over to try and hear what was being said. His blood boiled and Charlie tried to maintain distance so she could gently give him the news. "I uh, Vaggie?"

"She'll be okay. BiBi was with Angel, so the baby is safe."

"That's good to hear... We'll come back right now." Charlie hung up, looking away from Alastor as she fiddled with her phone. The Radio Demon narrowed his eyes at her. "...Uh...ready to go?"

"What happened, Charlotte?"

"You have to calm down-"

" **I am calm**." He gritted his teeth as he spoke, "What happened to my family?"

"Nothing- Well, Y/n was... attacked- But BiBi is fine!" Alastor didn't waste another second walking past her and out of the door. Charlie followed quickly, assuring him that everything was going to be okay. Before they could exit the library, the princess did come back for a few papers.

* * *

"This can't be sanitary," Angel smirked, watching Nifty cover each individual tooth puncture with fruit-shaped stickers. The pain had since dulled, and while they occasionally stung, you humored Nifty all the same. "...At least throw some beer on her-"

"That's not the kind of alcohol you're supposed to use, Angel." You added, hissing towards the end as another sticker was placed on your head. As Nifty tried to peel another off the sheet, you looked over your shoulder. Bibi gurgled in her sleep, her little chest rising and falling. "Alastor is going to he so upset-"

"Fuckin' why? Everything is fine?" Angel complained. You opened your mouth but all that can out was a gasp when another sticker was placed. Vaggie entered soon after. She forgot what she was originally going to say after she saw you.

"...The hell is going on in here?"

"We ran out of those little round bandages so I started using stickers." Nifty said simply, a cute little smile on her face. Vaggie was simply at a loss. "What did Charlie say? Are they coming back?"

"They're on the way... How are you doing, Y/n?" You just shrugged. That was good enough for her. She walked over, sitting on the edge of Angel's bed with everyone else. "Did he say anything to you?"

"Nope. Just attacked. It was weird.. It's like it was just an animal."

"You're coming home with me, now." Alastor entered the room with that line, walking in quickly and with great determination. Vaggie scowled and Charlie followed behind nervously. You stood to greet your husband but wobbled as you got to your feet. He caught you, as gracefully as he always did. "Let's go-"

"Hang on, we need to talk about this-"

"I am taking my wife home and taking care of her." Alastor restated, agitated. He changed his tone when addressing Nifty though, much softer in his delivery. "Nifty, dear, thank you so much for tending to her wounds... but I'll take over from here." Nifty just smiled, feeling triumphant as Alastor carried you out. One of Alastor's shadows picked BiBi up, nearly scaring Angel off his own bed.


	10. Birds of a Feather

The Radio Demon had the house on lockdown. You didn't remember having so many locks on your front door, but there were a plethora. As Alastor locked them all, you were upstairs. You stared down BiBi, watching her rolling around as she slept. She made little cooing noises every so often. You leaned into her crib, poking her little hand. She immediately grabbed your finger, but she didn't wake. You smiled softly, not hearing Alastor climb the stairs or join you in the room. You didn't know he was there until he walked up to the crib right beside you.

"To think we could make something so beautiful." He sighed, "You should get some sleep, my dear. Don't worry. I'll be awake."

"So you don't think Vaggie killed him?"

"The man I spent hours researching today isn't the kind to attack without a plan. He got away with what he was doing for so long because he's good at it. Whatever went after you, I'd wager it was not one of a kind." He grabbed your hand, leading you out of the nursery. As your finger slipped from BiBi's grip, she squirmed uncomfortably, kicking her blanket before rolling over. She remained asleep. You kept your eyes on her until your husband closed the door. "As far as I am concerned, we're connected at the hip until I find and kill him."

"Why do things like this keep happening to me?" You groaned, throwing yourself onto your bed the second you entered the room. Alastor didn't let go of your hand, ending up laying on the bed beside you. He held your hand tighter. "So, what do you think it was then? You think he has minions or something?"

"I can't answer that. What I can tell you, is that nothing is getting past me." His boast did manage to make you smile, even if it was a snarky smirk. "I will keep you safe... Why don't we take your mind off all of this?" He finally let go of your hand, sitting up and looking down at you as you lay. You met his eyes, growing nervous as the demon hovered over you. He let out a flirty growl, showing off his black gums a little. You could hear the shuffing of his tail against the bedspread.

"...I thought you didn't want more children-"

"Must you ruin this?" He groaned, "I'm trying to be romantic for you."

"And I appreciate it... I know how hard it is for you to initiate stuff like this." You chuckled, sitting up to peck his cheek. He claimed your lips right after, laying back down with you as the kiss grew hungry. 

* * *

The Princess walked slowly, careful not to spill the overfilled mugs. She wobbled the tray uncomfortably as she brought it to the end table. Vaggie looked up from the newspaper and smiled at her goofy girlfriend. The hot chocolate still splashed as she set the tray down, despite her best efforts.

"So uh... Hows it goin'?" Charlie said nervously, hoping Vaggie wouldn't notice or point out the mess. Luckily, Vaggie was expecting her to spill it anyway.

"It's... going. I am wondering what made you and Alastor connect this guy to these missings."

"Well, because of who was going missing. Alastor said that serial killers tend to not deviant from things like a 'type' or 'method'. He noticed that all of these demons went missing from a certain section of the park. It's like his 'hunting grounds'. Also, they went missing exactly one week apart."

"It disturbs me how useful Alastor is with this particular research." She groaned, "Okay so. He's still abducting people... Why?"

"...Because he's disturbed?"

"Okay, yes... but I'm serious, Charlie. What is his end game? What is he even planning? Surely, he can't kill anyone with a disease down here... So What's he doing? Ugh, I'd hate to admit it but Alastor would be super useful right now."

"He's probably not leaving Y/n's side ever again after what happened." Charlie joked. " Vaggie, I'm worried about the party. Maybe we should cancel it."

"I'm all for that," She said with a smirk. Vaggie changed her tune though, beginning to feel bad. "but... we already put a lot of work into it and people are already talking about it. Y/n just can't come. That's a bummer: She was going to dress as your mom."

"She was!?" Charlie sounded to heartbroken, her hands on her cheeks and hiding her blush. "Would BiBi be me!? Please tell me she would!"

"Hun, focus. It's too dangerous for Al's family to come to this thing."

"You're right, You're right." The princess took in a deep breath, but she couldn't lose her smile. "I would have loved to see that..."

"I think we were all looking forward to it."

* * *

The pornstar awoke with a yawn, forcing himself out of bed as lazily as possible. The spider demon slumped over, heading out of his room and grabbing a pack of cigarettes on the way. He mumbled curses, cracking his neck side to side and putting a cigarette in his mouth. It hung on his lips as he walked and the demon made his way to the lobby. Husk was there, of course, lazing on the couch. He raised a brow to see the spider demon awake but was more interested in the cigarette. He sat up and though tired, Angel perked up to see him.

"Give me one of those and I'll give you a light."

"I was comin' down here to bum a light from you anyway. I gave you my lighter, remember?"

"Oh, right." Husk wasted no time heading to the bar, reaching in the junk drawer on the counter and past various gubbins to get Angel's lighter. He didn't hand it over, holding his hand out. "Give me one first."

"Take the one in my mouth~" He teased, "If you take it with your teeth, I'll give you two."

"Fuck off," He plucked the cigarette from the spider demon's lips, embarrassed as he put it to his own and lit it. Angel just smirked, now more alert as he grabbed another for himself. "What are you doing up?"

"I got up for a smoke... What about you?"

"Can't fucking sleep. Birds." That made the spider demon curious. He looked down at Husk with an incredulous look. "...What?"

"Birds? This late?"

"Yeah. All I hear is cawing and flapping wings. It's getting on my fuckin' nerves. So I came out here for a drink but I'm out of liquor. I need to go shoppin'." Angel nodded, growing anxious as a thought teetered on the back of his mind. He couldn't place it. Something was wrong. "Anyway, You uh... going to this costume party?"

"Why? Wanna be my date?"

"Can't we just have a normal fucking conversation without you trying to fuck me?"

"Oh Husky, I'm insulted," Angel bellowed, " I'm not trying to fuck ya... I'm trying to get YOU to fuck ME."

"You slut-" Husk lost his train of thought hearing another distant caw. He groaned, dragging himself back to the couch once he heard it. "These fuckin birds!"

"...You sure that's a bird? It sounded kinda loud."

"What else caws at 3 in the morning?"

"Not fuckin' birds." Angel mumbled, toddling towards to hotel doors. Husk didn't care, closing his eyes as he leaned back on the couch. The Spider demon finally reached the door, hearing a the flap of wings beyond it. The booming sound was alarming. "...Sounds bigger than a bird. I'm gonna go outside and check... Nifty doesn't like me smokin' inside anyway."


	11. Chapter 11

The Radio Demon woke up later than usual, his eyes cracking open to the light sounds of snoring. He sat up in bed, his nude form chilled by the cool air of his bedroom. The demon looked down at his wife, kissing her forehead before getting out of bed. He dressed with the snap of a finger, heading to his daughter's room. The door creaked open, but the sleeping baby didn't stir. Perfect. Alastor walked in, looking down at his daughter with a soft smile. 

"My girls are still asleep... good." He turned on his heel, walking out of the room with his hands behind his back. He began to hum to himself halfway down the stairs, cut off by the house phone ringing. He raised a brow, looking to the wall clock. It was rather early. He answered the phone regardless, upbeat as usual. "Good Morning. Alastor, speaking."

"Alastor, Good morning." That slight drawl excited the Demon. He stood upright, much merrier than before.

"Ah, Rosie!" He perked up, listening carefully for signs of his family stirring. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Forgive me. This isn't a social call. I am calling because I don't know if you're watching the news right this moment."

"Oh, this should be good." The demon's sheer exhaustion at the mention of the media made the Lady chuckle. "What are they spouting now?"

"Giant bipedal crows, all over Pentagram city. I have no idea what is going on... but I had a hunch that you might, so I called."

"...So they're looking for her."

"I had a feeling you would know. Well, don't leave me in suspense."

"I'll come over and we can talk about this then. I have to wait for BiBi and Y/n to wake. I can't leave them home alone." 

"I can't wait to see your beautiful little girl Alastor. Goodbye for now." She hung up quickly and the Radio Demon sighed. He headed to the living room to turn on the television, crossing his arms as Katie Killjoy graced the screen. The spider demoness was gesturing to a large blurry picture of some crow demon.

"Gang affiliations, maybe," She continued her broadcast. "At this point, no one is sure what their purpose is or what these freaks are doing!"

"That's right, Katie." Tom Trench began, "These creeps are sitting on buildings and lamp posts, looming over and looking for something. It's creepy."

"In other news, an increase in demons disappearing from the south side-" Alastor cut the t.v. off, heading back upstairs. With each step he took fear crept in. He played the mental chess game, planning his next move but being outnumbered made him uneasy. His limitations began to frighten him. As he returned to the bedroom though, he calmed. You slept so sounded, a smile on your face. The demon's heart and tail fluttered. He just wanted to cuddle up to you and go back to sleep.

* * *

Awaking beside your husband was rare, but a treat. You snuggled into the demon, your body heat waking him up. His eyes opened slowly and quickly shut them when greeted with your smile. His blush betrayed him. You nuzzled closer to the Radio Demon, humming sweetly.

"Good morning to you too, I'm still tired. Be quiet."

"You're usually up much earlier." He didn't open his eyes, but he pulled you closer to him. He purred, nestling into the top of your head. "...Tired?"

"I just don't want to bother with getting up." He whined. His tail started to move when you laughed at him. His grip on you grew tighter. "Why don't we just... lay down... all day-"

"What about BiBi-"

"Fine, Let's lay down until the child screams, demanding our attention."

"Deal-" It was almost comical, the shrill screaming from across the hall shot your eyes wide open. Bibi's crying marked the end of your rest. You and your husband groaned at the same time, getting out of bed to tend to your bundle of joy. You lagged behind, getting dressed as Alastor was leaving. You could hear him enter her room, greeting her with a smile on his face and earning the cutest giggles in return.

"Ma Biche! Good Morning, BiBi~" He cooed, "Would you like to go see Aunt Rosie today?" She responded with giggly screams, making her father let out a boisterous laugh. You just continued getting ready, walking slowly out of the room as you adjusted yourself. "My! Someone is wide awake this morning! My little ball of energy."

"I think she siphoned it from us directly." You joked. Your Husband turned around to see you and you could see the baby was going crazy in his arms, kicking and trying to crawl up him. 

"That's how children work, my dear."

"Child, singular, Alastor. We have one."

"...We... could have more." He floated shyly, adjusting BiBi and cradling her. She reached for his monocle, being stopped by a shadow catching her attention. Alastor's shadow started to play with her and the Radio Demon watched if only to avoid your gaze. "Later, of course. Bibi is still young."

"I'll... get breakfast started. Then we can head to see Rosie."

"I'll get BiBi ready for the day." His dreamy tone made you giddy. The smile began hurting your cheeks, hearing Alastor coddle his little girl. "Why don't we get ready for another beautiful day, my little doe? Would you like to put on the dress daddy bought you?"

"D-D..." That simple sound made you stop halfway down the stairs. You rushed back to BiBi's room, looking in to see Alastor holding his daughter in front of him with pure love in his eyes. "D...Dddd"

"Come on BiBi! Say it, darling!"

"D....Da" The Radio Demon was watching the baby with such intensity. She wiggled in his grip, continuing to babble the letter 'D'. "D...ad...da...b..bbbbb..."

"...That counts right?" Alastor turned to you, hoping you would validate him here. You opened your mouth to say something but were cut off by the baby.

"BUG!" The baby screamed, kicking her legs wildly. Alastor didn't move. His eyes turned to static and it was as if he mentally shut down. You pursed your lips, swooping in and taking BiBi from his arms. You chuckled as he stayed there, completely motionless.

"Uh... let's get you something to eat, BiBi." The Radio Demon stayed put, unable to grasp what just happened. After a bit, he took in a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. He left the room, defeated and mumbling curses under his breath.


	12. Intricacy

BiBi crawled around the emporium with a group of ladies in tow. They watched her every move, commenting on her adorableness. You and the two overlords watched from a distance. The three of you laughed at the spectacle, but the lady of the house was watching you and your husband more. His arm was around you, watching his daughter with pride. It brought a smile to Rosie's face. She giggled, making Alastor look at her. She simply shrugged. You listened but continued to watch BiBi.

"You're such a cute couple."

"Oh, hush," Alastor scoffed. That only made the madam more amused. You tucked your hair behind your ear, remaining quiet. "Rosie, dear, I have to ask. Would you mind watching BiBi this evening?" That threw you for a loop. Your head whipped to your husband, a cute little confused look on your face. "I want to take my doll out... Get her mind off all of this... unpleasantness."

"Oh, It would make everyone's evening to have BiBi around," Rosie swooned. "However, I must ask... doesn't the princess usually babysit her?"'

"Her or Y/n's friend, Angel." Alastor admitted, "However, Angel messaged my doll. Those crow demons are all over the city but they seem to be concentrating heavily within a block of the hotel. I believe the one that was killed there was part of some regular patrol. When it didn't report back, they started to hone in on that area."

"You think finding her is their goal?" Rosie asked. Alastor gave a simple nod, but she seemed less convinced. You looked at her and she smiled almost immediately. "Don't get me wrong, she probably has a key part to play in this... but I don't think she's the end game."

"Oh?"

"I believe she is a piece that is integral to what is happening... but whoever is sending those wretched crow hybrids after her has much bigger ambitions once she's dealt with. What, I don't know. It's just an inkling, at this point." She shrugged, her indifference contrasting the gravity of her suggestion. Alastor thought on it a little longer, unable to disagree. "I understand that you have tunnel vision when it comes to your family. That your doll is the most important thing in the world to you... but I don't think this revolves around her. If anything, she's the icing on the cake. I know this question may seem silly, but you do believe her killer sent these crows, right?"

"That's my working, theory," He admitted. You were back to just listening, the overlords discussing you as if you weren't there. "According to the news, no one has been attacked by these things. They're just looming around population centers. Yet, my wife was attacked. Plain and simple."

"My dear, do you have any idea why your killer would come after you?" Rosie finally addressed you directly. Your throat clenched. Alastor just clicked his tongue.

"We know why, Rosie-"

"I want to hear about her interpretation." Rosie scoffed, waving your husband off. "She has a better perspective than you."

"Um... Well... I... survived his disease... I guess... He said it was his life's work." You answered. Rosie gestured for you to continue. "I mean... he probably wanted to end the world or something."

"Then why didn't he?" Rosie asked. Alastor nodded but stopped halfway. A realization hit him and Rosie smirked. He understood her persistence now. You tried to mumble together a response, but your husband spoke over you.

"...I can't believe I didn't see it-"

"I told you," Rosie sang, "You have tunnel vision when it comes to your wife."

"What?" Your tone was heartbreaking. Your husband pursed his lips, still dwelling on the information. "Alastor?"

"My dear... It... It doesn't make sense that he would come after you for being immune to his disease..." He spoke slowly, the puzzle coming together. Rosie nodded along. "...He never released his disease... If his goal was to spread a plague, he would have. Instead, he would keep someone, infect them, and hold onto them until they died... If his goal was to cause a pandemic... why keep them until they were dead and the disease couldn't be spread."

"Now you're getting it." Rosie teased. Alastor avoided her gaze, embarrassed that he didn't think of this before. "Y/n, my dear, you and your husband have a good time tonight. In fact, I'll keep BiBi overnight. She'll be perfectly safe. Your killer has no vendetta against her. Only you. Your family is in no danger."

"I could never impose like that, Rosie-"

"Oh, it's no trouble." Rosie giggled. She looked to the ladies, who were snuggling the overwhelmed baby. "Ladies! We're keeping the baby for the night!" A festival of squeals erupted, the chaos actually making BiBi shriek excitedly with them. Alastor gave a good chuckle, but you couldn't. Not after this.

* * *

The emporium towered over you as you left, the shadow falling on you and making you feel sick. Alastor opened your parasol the second you stepped out of the doors. He shielded you from the birds-eye view, looking around for any sign of the crows. He took your hand, leading you away with a smile on his face. He always had a smile on his face. You wouldn't look at him, taking in the city streets and thinking to yourself. Alastor didn't particularly mind silence, but he always preferred that you smile. He poked your cheek, but nothing.

"Dear, Rosie will take perfectly good care of BiBi."

"I'm not worried about that." 

"If it's this whole thing with the killer, relax. You are safe with me."

"Am I going to be hiding from him my entire afterlife?"

"Of course not. I DO plan on killing him." He said with a snort, "My dear. I mean it, you don't have to worry. This subterfuge is temporary."

"So... can we go to the costume party?" He didn't answer you right away. You bit your lip, stringing together your thoughts lazily. "I really want to go."

"Y/n, it's too dangerous-"

"I really wanted BiBi to go as Charlie and maybe we could be Lucifer and Lilith-" You stopped, jerked back as you tried to walk ahead. He had come to a complete stop. You couldn't tell anything by his smile. "....Alastor?"

"...That is an AMAZING IDEA." He cheered, stars in his eyes as he pulled you close to him. "Oh! Imagine it! The theatrics! You would look stunning! Can you just picture BiBi with rosy little cheeks- Oh of course we're going!" You didn't even have a proper response, stunned by the turnaround. He continued to prattle on as you walked down the street, his eyes shining with possibility and excitement. All the ugliness of the world was behind you as you watched your husband gush. "I cannot pass up this opportunity. We have to go!"

"...That was easier than I thought-"

"Maybe I'm just in a good mood," He reasoned, "After all, we have a whole night without BiBi. I haven't taken you on a proper date in a long time."

"Is that safe?"

"You're with me. You're safe." His subtle boast wasn't lost on you, and you rolled your eyes. "Dinner. Dancing. A Romantic Stroll. We'll have a lovely evening! If you'd like we can even... get together this evening-"

"I can't believe you would initiate sex twice in one week now-"

"Must you be so open about these things," He hushed his voice as he scolded you. Alastor looked away as you continued your walk home, staring at anything so you couldn't see his blush. "I... I know you like it... and it's... thrilling... in moderation. I can see the appeal. Enough of that now, where should we go for dinner?" His change of the subject made you laugh, the most genuine guffaw you'd let out all day. To him, that was worth it.

* * *

"Oh, Hon, you gotta let me dress you up." Angel begged, "He's gonna take you out AND rail you tonight? I can make sure all eyes are on you wherever you go."

"That's not a good idea," You groaned, holding your phone in your neck as you rummaged through your closet. Alastor was downstairs, already ready for your date. He could have readied you himself, but you wanted to surprise him. Now, you were flipping through your wardrobe and couldn't decide what to put on. "I'm kind of being hunted right now?"

"Ugh, why is there always some life or death reason that keeps you from having fun!"

"I know, right? Angel, this isn't why I called-"

"Warbucks is fine!" Angel whined, "Little pest is sleepin' in my dirty clothes hamper. He doesn't even realize you left him here yesterday. Now, continue telling me about your scheduled sex-"

"It is not scheduled sex-"

"It's sex that has been planned ahead of time," Angel defended, sitting up in bed and waking Fat nuggets. The piglet looked at his master, surprised. "That makes the shit scheduled. If I plan lunch tomorrow, it's scheduled lunch."

"That would make ANYTHING scheduled. I planned to breath tomorrow. Does that mean I have scheduled breathing?"

"Did you pick a specific time for it?"

"Angel, this is the opposite of helping me right now." He started to whine more. You stopped looking for a second, sitting on the edge of your bed. "If you don't shut the fuck up, Vaggie's gonna barge in your room and tell you to shut up."

"She's not here. Her and Charlie went out."

"Date night?"

"Nah, Vaggie got a lead on the creepy dude who wants you double dead... Hey, if you died, would you go to heaven?"

"What?"

"Cause I mean- Hear me out. You were going to go there anyway if Al didn't own your soul." Angel fumbled through his reasoning and you had to close your eyes for a moment. "So... HYPOTHETICALLY-"

"Bye, Angel-"

"Bitch don't hang up on m-" You wasted no time doing the complete opposite of that, tossing your phone on the pillow beside you. You kept your eyes closed for a bit, taking in a deep unscheduled breath. The events of the last few days plagued you. It would be hard to shake the unease, even for one night. For your husbands sake, you had to try.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to write this chapter 4 times because the kitten likes to walk on my keyboard like I'm not busy.  
> That's why this took so long. When my fingers really get going, he likes to pounce them and that messes everything up.


	13. Still

Under the night sky, the glow of Pentagram city was inescapable. There was no shortage of nightlife or things to do. The streets were bustling, even with the Radio Demon walking about. Those that noticed him with you on his arm, did keep their distance but for the most part, everyone was too busy enjoying the night. You rubbed your stomach, holding back a burp trying to rise in your throat. Alastor noticed and laughed. You slouched your grip on your parasol, forcing your husband to straighten it for you.

"See, I never know if I eat too much either. It doesn't hit you until more time passes and then you feel that queasiness."

"Ugh, I almost feel like I'm going to throw it all up."

"I understand you're full but try and keep your umbrella up, dear." He adjusted your parasol. He looked up, seeing the shadows of large birds of prey. They continued to survey the streets. "There are silhouettes in the skies this evening."

"Can we go home? I know we were going to see a movie but I don't feel so good."

"Of course, Ma moitié," purred the Radio Demon. He batted his eyes at you and forced a smile on your face. "We'll get home and relax. We could do anything we want with BiBi out of the house. Ah, I can't even imagine it. I haven't gotten consecutive hours of sleep since you were pregnant."

"Being pregnant was great." You sighed, "You were so loving and sweet." He shied away as you recalled those days, nervous of anyone overhearing. "You got me anything I wanted."

"We could always have another one." The demon teased. You didn't know what to say, unprepared for Alastor to float the idea. It made your face heat up. "More children, more opportunities to fix my mistakes."

"...Huh?"

"Well, clearly I failed as a parent if BiBi's first word was taught to her by Nifty-"

"I should have known this had something to do with that." As you let out an exasperated groan, your parasol slipped from your grip. Alastor caught it with ease, fixed it, and continued shrugging off your disbelief. "Are we going to keep having kids until one's first word is 'dada'?"

"That depends: How many are you prepared to have?"

"You're incorrigible." 

"I am a simple man with simple aspirations." You rolled your eyes, watching oncoming cars pass rather that look over at your husband. Alastor had a slight chuckle but it was dying down. His arms that was linked with you released you and instead he took your hand into his. " Ma moitié. I may be... slightly joking... but we could have another baby-"

"BiBi is 7 months-"

"I know. I don't mean now. I just..." He struggled with his verbiage, stuttering together his sentence. He gestured with his free hand, trying to force the words out of his mind but to no avail. He was ultimately silent. You nuzzled close to him, staggering his walk a little and hitting the top of his head with your parasol. That got a snort out of him and he sighed. "I love you, Ma moitié"

"I love you too."

* * *

The hotel lobby was livly tonight, Nifty dancing about in celebration and Angel Dust attempting to charm Husk. Vaggie and Charlie watched on, amused and relaxed. The cat demon shoved a drink in front of Angel, hoping to shut him up. The saucy spider took a sip, looking his bartender int he eyes the whole time.

"You spoil me, Husky."

"Shut up."

"Did you hear about Bibi?"

"Who hasn't by now?" Husk groaned, gesturing to the wild redhead in the middle of the lobby. "Nifty's been dancing for hours."

"Poor Alastor, though," Charlie sighed, "He really wanted her first word to be Dad."

"I think it's hilarious." Vaggie added, "Ugh sometimes I wonder how they even fell for each other."

"That's love. It works in mysterious ways." Charlie swooned. Angel rolled his eyes, taking a larger swing of his fruity drink. "So, about the costume party! I was thinking that you and I could go as Alastor and Y/n-"

"Oh, Yes!" Nifty yelled, running over to Vaggie and Charlie. Husk even raised a brow. Vaggie didn't know how to respond yet. "You would look great!"

"Is this costume party just goin' to turn into us bein' each other... Hey Husky, can I borrow your hat?"

"Don't touch me." Husk complained, ducking the grabby hands of the spider demon. Nifty climbed onto a bar stool, trying to get as close to Angel's height as possible.

"Oh! I wanna be Angel Dust!"

"Now We're talkin! This is going to be fun!" The spider scooped the tiny demon into his arms giggling wildly at the thought, "We'll doll ya up real good. You'll love it!"

"Which one would I be," Vaggie finally asked. "Y/n or Alastor?"

"Whichever you want. I think I could pull off either." Charlie said with a smile. She slinked closer to her girlfriend, making her blush. "We would be so cute. Plus, you could get away with making fun of Al all night."

"Alright, hon, I'll do it... I'll be Alastor."

"Husk, what are you gonna be!" Nifty asked, slamming her tiny hands on the bar. Husk didn't even flinch. He looked her dead in the eye and just shrugged. "I'll help you think of something!"

"Yay." The cat demon's deadpanned delivery at least made Angel smile. The lobby stayed abuzz well into the night with planning and costume talk radiating through the halls.

* * *

The Radio Demon grinned, looking down at his prey with a hungry stare. He licked his lips before going in and burying his face in your neck. His sharp teeth slid against your skin, the demon barely nipping at you as you writhed beneath him. He pulled back for just a moment, taking your lips instead. He wanted every bit of you, he couldn't decide where to start. Your name left his mouth in hushed groans. You weren't shy about your moans. Your ecstacy fueled and embarrassed him. As your clothes were shed, you were suddenly stopped. The sound of breaking glass from somewhere else in the house made you both freeze.

"What was that?" Alastor didn't answer you. He snarled instead. "I think someone's in the house-"

"Stay here. Get dressed." Your husband let go of you, snapping his fingers to make himself presentable and leaving the room without another word. His shadow locked the bedroom door behind him, leaving you to do as you were told. You hurried out of bed. You listened carefully for any sounds, hearing absolutely nothing. There were no footsteps, no creaks, not a thing that clued you in on the situation.

Once you were dressed, your curiosity was too great. You opened the room door. The loud squeal of the hinges filled the silent house, making you flinch. You waited. The house was eerily quiet. With no sound in response to your own, you ventured on. Creeping down the hall, peeking in every room you passed, and making your way downstairs. Home had never felt more unsafe.

Halfway down the stairs, you finally heard a noise. Behind you. You swallowed hard, looking for anything on the walls you could use to see behind you without turning around. No luck. You continued down the stairs, not turning to face what loomed on the steps behind you. As you did, the living room television came into view. In the reflection of the screen, a plague doctor was looking right at you.


	14. Deer in Headlights

The inhale was swift but the exhale never came. You didn't turn around, feeling the presence behind you grow sinister. You turned around, walking straight into the oozing tip of a syringe. You yelped, grabbing the large needle and watching it as the Avian Demon sunk it deeper into your chest. The initial stab was nothing compared to the burning as the ooze travelled through your body.

Before you, there he was. The Plague Doctor, eyes as white as pearls and reflecting like glass. He was like a hollow shell, his mask-like visage just a metallic beak. He was a monster. He was your monster. You were speechless as you met his eyes, he simply laughed.

"Pardon me, miss..." You could only whimper in response. Memories came back so vividly. You could feel the warm summer sun on your back and grass on your feet. You tried to pull yourself off the syringe and to your surprise, he let you. You eased off the needle, sliding it out of you and wincing as the wound aired out. Your blood, mixed with the glowing green poison, dripped onto the living room floor.

From behind that entity rose a shadow, a very familiar one. Alastor's shadow hissed, tackling the demon to the ground. It recovered quickly, spreading large black wings, flapping out of the grip of Alastor's power. You turned around with a gasp and back up, only to end up in your husband's arms. He held you tight, but never took his eyes off the hunched doctor, who now stood before him with fully erect wings.

"Well now," Alastor teased, "I wasn't expecting company this late." The being said nothing. Alastor remained calm as they sized each other up but did snarl. Anytime you could see his gums let you know his anger was getting the best of him. Alastor was livid. His antlers seemed to grow in size, his smile wide and menacing. He raised his hand, prepared to end things once and for all. Your killer was feet in front of him.

"A-Alastor..." Your voice broke him. Alastor looked at you and was shaken. Your face was growing pale. There was a dark red .... something in your eyes. He couldn't tell from this angle. You looked like you were dying. You started to shake in his arms. You coughed, green ooze expelling from your mouth. 

"No." The Doctor hissed, "Why is this still happening...?!" Hearing that brought a fire out of your husband. He manipulated his shadows, a tentable attempting to grab the doctor. Unfortunately, he was just as fast. The plague doctor used his wings to propel him out of Alastor's swipes. The Radio Demon couldn't concentrate, feeling you shake in his arms. You watched the exchange, certain of the doctor's next move the moment he looked at you.

"A-" You stopped when you looked at your husband, the circles under his eyes appearing slowly. You said nothing. The plague doctor threw himself through the window, barely avoiding another tendril your husband brought up behind him. Alastor growled, holding on to you tighter. He stepped forward, as if he was going to give chase, but then looked at you. You needed him more.

* * *

The rapid knocking at the front door could only be one thing. Alastor opened the door, Charlie and Angel practically falling in the house once he did. Vaggie was behind them, holding fat nuggets and Warbucks. They were put back by Alastor's casual look. His jacket was gone, his sleeves were rolled up. He looked tired but maintained a smile.

"Come in." He said simply, walking back into the living room. You were on the couch, laid up with a quilt over you. The Radio demon sat at your feet and one by one your friends surrounded you. You offered them a smile but they were still scared.

"Are you okay?" Charlie pushed some hair out of your face, trying to smile as well. Unfortunately, her fear was showing. "You look sick."

"Her body is rejecting his little potion," Alastor scoffed, "He won't get away from me a second time."

"All the weird bird demons aren't in the sky anymore." Vaggie started, getting Alastor's attention. "In fact, I haven't seen them since you called and said she was attacked. What happened here?"

"He injected her with something... What it was exactly, I don't know."

"We do." Vaggie started. That surprised the demon. He put a hand on your leg and the faint sound of shuffling told you his tail was wagging. It made you smile through your burning pain. Vaggie sat on the arm of the couch and Charlie took her side. Angel just leaned over the couch and poked you cutely on the nose. "Earlier tonight, we followed a lead from an old victim of his. As it turns out, he owns their soul."

"Now that's interesting."

"Not only that but another victim he had also doesn't have possession of their own soul," Charlie added, "We think he owns that one too-"

"Now I get it." Alastor chuckled darkly, turning to you with a wicked smirk. "This isn't a disease... That's simply what the humans called it... He's been stealing souls." Vaggie seemed repulsed by the thought and you and Angel were just confused. Charlie, having already come to the same conclusion, simply nodded. "He probably started collecting souls while he was alive, hence why he was so many bird demons... Ma moitié, you weren't immune to a disease. He can't take your soul because I own it."

"It didn't work while she was alive and that was probably eating away at him up until his own death," Vaggie reasoned, "So, he tried again... but down here. But he hasn't realized that her soul is owned by someone else... That could work to our advantage. Whatever his larger goal is, he doesn't want to achieve it without her soul. That's why the birds aren't patrolling anymore... it's like a challenge to him now."

"I dare him to try again. I'll be ready-"

"Alastor, no." You cried, trying to sit up despite your stomach wound. That made Alastor flinch and Angel shushed you as he laid you back down. "B-But he can't-"

"Toots, come on, Al knows what he's doin-"

"Alastor is a mortal soul!" You wheezed, making your husband stiffen, "If he gets shot with that syringe, we're basically handing one of hells most powerful overlords to him-"

"She is actually 100% correct," Charlie stepped to Alastor, commanding in her speech, "You cannot face him. None of you can. It's too dangerous-"

"And what exactly do you propose I do, Charlotte?" Alastor seethed, speaking between his teeth. "Do you want me to let that little **sh̷̶ͭit get away with ₩Ⱨ₳₮ ⱧɆ ĐłĐ ₮Ø ₥Ɏ ₩ł₣Ɇ."**

"I have to think about all of Hell. These are my people. I have to protect them. If someone is going around stealing souls, they must be stopped... which means I have to pay a visit to my dad-"

"Charlie, you can't-"

"It's okay Vaggie... this is serious, I have to." The Princess tried to smile, taking her girlfriend's hands swiftly. There was a pain in her eyes that kept Vaggie from smiling back. Angel just looked at you and without warning poked your nose.

"...So, did the guy attack before or after your scheduled sex?"

"Angel-!"

"You told Angel?!" Your husband whispered to you, clearly miffed as he cut you off. Angel didn't care in the slightest and continued to ask questions.

"I mean, I'm just askin'... You gotta work on those other babies and all. Did you guys decide how many you're gonna have-"

"How much did you tell him!?"

"Alastor is now the time for this?!" Vaggie complained. You raised your blanket over your head, trying to ignore Alastor's heated face and Angel's smug look. "We have all of hell at stake here-"

"In a minute, I'm just-"

"In a minute?!"

"Angel, why did you do this to me." You groaned. Angel just snickered and Charlie tried desperately to get the conversation back to more serious matters. Though, Alastor had to fight hard against his blush before things calmed down.

**Author's Note:**

> So, I didn't want to make a sequel until after the show came out, and I am still going to do that so after this story is done there will be one more.  
> BUT the next story won't have anything to do with the Dead Air Doll's death and I wanted to expand upon that more and decided to just write this.
> 
> Also, I learned halfway through the last story that Alastor's hair is just styled that way and it's not ears but I stuck with calling them ears cause it's cute. I'm doing that for this story too, cause it's cute yo.


End file.
